nodeValue?node.nodeValue gets or sets the content string of a node when it has one (MDN) — for example text and comments. For Element, Document, and similar nodes it is null.
Status: Baseline Widely available (since July 2015) — not Deprecated, Experimental, or Non-standard. MDN note: when nodeValue is defined as null (e.g. on an Element), setting it has no effect.
node.nodeValue → string | null
Text / Comment / CDATA → content string
Attr → attribute value
Element / Document / Fragment / DocumentType → null
Read text on an element?
use element.textContent (or a child text node's nodeValue)
Set on Element → ignored (stays null)| Goal | Prefer |
|---|---|
| One text / comment node | node.nodeValue |
| All text under an element | element.textContent |
| Kind of node first | node.nodeType |
nodeValuePick a text or comment node, then read or assign its string.
element.firstChild for compact text).null.node.nodeValue or assign a new string.textContent.| Piece | Required? | Role |
|---|---|---|
node | Yes | Any DOM Node |
| Get | — | String content, or null |
| Set | Optional | Updates text/comment; ignored when defined as null |
if node is Text or Comment:
value = node.nodeValue // string
node.nodeValue = "new text" // updates content
else if node is Element or Document:
value = null
node.nodeValue = "…" // no effect (MDN)
// typical element text:
text = element.firstChild // often #text
print(text.nodeValue)
// or for the whole element:
print(element.textContent)What nodeValue returns for common node kinds (MDN).
| Node | nodeValue |
|---|---|
Text | Text content |
Comment | Comment body (no <!-- / -->) |
CDATASection | Section content |
Element | null |
Document / Fragment / DocumentType | null |
| Attr | Attribute value |
| Standard | Baseline Widely available (since July 2015) |
Compare nodeValue on an element, its text child, and a comment — then set the text.
Short, copy-ready snippets based on MDN Node.nodeValue. Use Try It Yourself for a live editor.
The words inside an element live on a child text node.
const d1 = document.getElementById("d1");
const text = d1.firstChild;
console.log(text.nodeName); // "#text"
console.log(text.nodeValue); // "Hello world"#text.nodeValue is still null.nullDo not expect the element itself to hold the visible text in nodeValue.
const d1 = document.getElementById("d1");
console.log(d1.nodeValue); // null
console.log(d1.textContent); // "Hello world"Comments store their body in nodeValue.
const wrap = document.getElementById("wrap");
const comment = wrap.firstChild; // <!-- Example of comment -->
console.log(comment.nodeName); // "#comment"
console.log(comment.nodeValue); // " Example of comment "childNodes.<!-- / --> are excluded.Assigning updates the visible text when the target is a text node.
const d1 = document.getElementById("d1");
const text = d1.firstChild;
text.nodeValue = "Updated hello";
console.log(d1.textContent); // "Updated hello"
d1.nodeValue = "No effect on Element";
console.log(d1.nodeValue); // still nullnull.List each sibling’s nodeName and nodeValue.
let node = document.getElementById("sample").firstChild;
let result = "Node values are:\n";
while (node) {
result += `Value of ${node.nodeName}: ${node.nodeValue}\n`;
node = node.nextSibling;
}
console.log(result);#text.null; text/comments show strings.Check these before reading or setting nodeValue.
MDN: Element, Document, DocumentFragment, and DocumentType return null. Use textContent for element text.
Assigning to an Element’s nodeValue is ignored — no error, no update.
Pretty HTML text nodes may be newlines/spaces. nodeValue can look “empty” but is not null.
Updating an element’s visible string is usually textContent, not hunting for a text child.
Node.nodeValue is marked Baseline Widely available on MDN (since July 2015).
String content for text/comment (and similar) nodes; null for Element and Document. Setting a null-defined value has no effect.
Bottom line: Safe everyday DOM API. Remember: elements are null — use textContent for UI text. See the MDN nodeValue reference.
| Approach | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|
Read/set one text nodeValue | O(1) | Known single text child |
element.textContent | O(descendants) | UI text get/set on elements |
| Walk + print values | O(k) siblings | Debugging mixed trees |
For everyday UI updates, textContent is clearer and handles multiple text children. Use nodeValue when you already hold a specific text or comment node.
nodeValue.null.textContent on elements.One line: nodeValue is the string inside a text/comment node — elements return null, so use textContent for UI text.
Learn which Document object owns a given node.
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